Newsletter 20-September-2015

PrayerTo the home of peace to the field of love to the land where forgiveness and right relationship meet we look, O God, with longing for earth's children with compassion for the creatures with hearts breaking for the nations and people we love.

Open us to visions we have never known strengthen us for self-givings we have never made delight us with a oneness we could never have imagined that we may truly be born of You makers of peace.

J P Newell ‘Praying with the Earth’

Psalm 19:1-6 For the director of music. A psalm of David.1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. 3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. 4 Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, 5 which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. 6 It rises at one

Prayer Points:- Please pray for: Loas Toung and her bruised ribs; Ray Lewis and ongoing health issues; Mary Metcalf and her family with the passing of her husband Brian. Please pray for our parish finances, it has been a tight month financially; Little Cubs Kindy for more children as they vacancies because some children have reached school age and Kindy competition is strong. Holiday Programme 28 Sept to 2 October for the leaders, lots of children, morning and afternoon teas and a safe and happy week.

NOTICES:-

THANKSGIVING OFFERING:- Each year we set one special Sunday for Thanksgiving. I don’t know how this tradition at St Johns arose but I assume it reflects the old idea of Harvest Thanksgiving. In an urban parish we can give thanks for the arrival of Spring after a wet, cold Winter and personally, thanks for any special blessing we have received during the past year.

The Leadership Team have decided that 90% of this year’s Thanksgiving will be added to the fund we have set up to meet the cost of our latest staff member, the Children, Youth and Family leader. The 10% remaining, as usual, will be given outside the parish, this year to the Tear Fund Appeal for victims of slavery and human trafficking.

Giving to the Thanksgiving offering can be through marked envelopes which regular envelope givers will have received with their bundle of envelopes. I have additional envelopes available which you should mark with your number so that the amount can be added to your Inland Revenue receipt at the end of March 2016.

Any questions, please talk to me or one of the Finance Team (Christo John, Shania Qui and Brannie Ma) Thank you Bob Williamson

Message from Lorraine:- I am half way through my Study Leave and I am on Study leave from 23 September until the end of October.

Should you have any questions or worries while Lorraine is on leave the three “go-to” people are: Alan Vickers, cell phone 021 051 3040 or 533 3790. Or email; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Joan Rutherford cell phone 027 537 2308 or 533 8761 and Bob Williamson.

Joan and Bob Williamson would like to sincerely thank all who prayed when Joan’s brother Rod was missing. The area to be searched was huge but fortunately he was found. Thank you too for the cards, sympathy and prayers that have followed his death. We really appreciated having the prayer chain as a resource at that time. Thank you all again. Joan & Bob.

This gives a listing of all sermons given at St Johns since September 2013!

Click on the date or topic that interest you, and ... there it is!

Have fun! Trevor Haigh

Food Bank:‐ The foodbank are in short supply of Sugar and flour (Small bags) Milk powder, jelly, tinned fish and tinned fruit. If you could please consider this during your weekly shopping. Thank you very much.

Calling all amateur photographers! Submit your best photographs for a chance to win a spot in the 2016 CEC calendar, fundraising for our court case costs.

Submit your entry via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by Monday 21st September. Photos will have scripture added to them by our designer. Winners will be notified by email by 5 October and will receive photocredit.

Open Home Foundation is a Christian social work agency which has been running for over 30 years. We provide foster care for in the Auckland community for two main groups of children and young people. One group are kids in state care through Child Youth and Family; the other are kids who have an intellectual disability whose families need respite care. What makes OHF distinct is that all of our staff and foster carers are Christians. We believe that one of the most practical ways of showing the love of Christ is by Christians opening their homes to children and teenagers in need. We would love the opportunity to let people in your congregation know about our agency to see if any of them could be open to becoming foster carers for us. Zac Kim Foster Parent Social Worker This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 096342057